Apparatus for printing strip material



Feb. 18, 1958 M. KuTscH APPARATUS FOR PRINTING STRIP MATERIAL 4 Shepts-Sheet 1 Filed April 20, 1954 INVENTOR.

Feb. 18, 1958 M.'KUTSCH APPARATUS FOR PRINTING STRIP MATERIAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 20, 1954 INVENTOR. MATH/A s KuTs cH Feb. 18, 1958 M. KUTSCH APPARATUS FOR PRINTING STRIP MATERIAL Filed April 20. 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN TOR.

MAT s KuTs cH W Feb. 18, 1958 M. KUTSCH APPARATUS FOR PRINTING STRIP MATERIAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 20, 1954 INVENTOR. MATH/n 5 Ku7$ c United States Patent O APPARATUS FOR PRINTING MATERIAL Mathias Kutsch, Attendorn, Westphalia, Germany.

Application April 26, 1-953; Serial N; 424,469 Claims priority, application GermanyiApril =21, 5 Claims. (CI.*101-227)- The present invention rela-reste an apparatus forprint ing ontape or strip material.

for printing" ona strip of tape'which is rolled on a=dis' pensingroller andfromwhich thetape st ripmay be unrolled, and- Which is printed and cut -off beforeuse-for wrapping purposes. The tapemay be' of various types of material, such as paper, synthetic substancesor-packaging strips, e. g. adhesive stripsor theli'ke, which'may be printed with advertising matter directly before its" use:

Devices suitable for the above purposes are already known. Thus, transparent wrapping paper has been printed on the rear-side with reversed lettering in order to use it after'printing for'w'rapping purposes. There have also been developed devices for printing opaque wrapping paper for wrapping directly after printing thereon, wherein the'prin'ting. apparatus-is assembled on a single frame together with the inking .device, the cutter and other auxiliary devices. Small printing devices of similar type are also known which operate directly on'the adhesive strip rolls immediately before use of the adhesive tape.

The-known devices designed for use with opaque paper can print on the paper rolls'or adhesive tape only on the outer side of the wound roll, although commercial types of adhesive tape are provided with adhesive material on the outer side thereof. In order to be able to'print on commercial opaque adhesive tape, it is necessary, therefore, to first rewind the tape. The present invention avoids this disadvantage, and provides for such an arrangement that even such commercial adhesive tapewhich is adh'e'sively coated on its outer'side can be directly printed on immediately before use.

It is an object, therefore, of the present invention to overcome the above mentioned disadvantages in a tape printing device.

It is another object of the invention to provide a device of the above type wherein clear, unblurred printing impressions may be made on the tape material.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a device of the above type wherein the tape material to be printed is securely supported andguided for preventing. it from being displaced relative to the printing means.

It is still a further object of the present invention. to provide in a device of the above type means for preventing too rapid a feed'frorn the tape dispensing means so as to avoid'spotting. or smearing of the slack tape by the inking device. I

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and appended claims.

In accordance withthe invention, the printing of the band or tape isnot carried out in the known manner on the supply roll-itself or on an end portion thereof which has beenraisedfor this purpose, but rather is carried-out onthe free portionof the already unwound tape portion.

It has been found that in printing on suchtape the imprint comes out non-uniformly if the free end of the 2 a i band isishnpl-y conveyedfoveea printingrollerr The imprint iss-not onliystilt'ed 'idue r to th'er-fact that theband' is usually not drawn oft exactly in themiddle of the roller and is pulled; in ha; plane at rightangles to the axis of the roller, but also the spacing of the band from the *axis'of the type: roller varies? due to the elastic impression of the type; whereby the: type :le'tters-become distorted and the imprint becomes unsightly. The present inventionihas beemdesignedto overcome such faults. u

With'itheabbveobjects in view, the-presentjinvention relates to a tape printing apparatus of "the above typewhich comprises; in; combination, supply means for delivering strip' material; rotatableprinting means associated. with the supply means and adaptedfor printing on stripmaterial received from the supply means, detaching means associated with the printing means for detaching portions ofprinte'd st-rip material, and support and guiding means associated with therotatabl printing means for supporting the strip'mat'e'ri-al durifigprinting and for guiding it. during printing against lateraldisplacement, whereby, at. least during detachin'g*of'-portions of theprinted stripmaterial by the detaching means, the strip material to be printed is supported b'yth'e support and guiding mean-s so as to be held against'transverse displacement relative'to the printing means;

The non-adhesive 'sides" of; rather thick adhesive tapes are usuallycomparativelyxough, and in this co'nnection a particular embodiment of thekpresent invention relates to the possibility of providing on this. surface a. clear and unblurred" print. This resultis achieved in accordance withthe invention by means of a pair of spacer rings which areprovided on the roller'havingthe printingtype thereon and-which have a heightduring the printing operation somewhat less than .the height of the printingtype, and intact, is of such height that the printinghtype, which maybe-"made of resilient materialrsuch as rubbencan stillreach the depressed'portions of the .surface. of.the adhesive tape, without being appreciably deformedbyrthe raised'portions. This is made possible by the. factthat the difference in height is of the order, ofa hundredth of a millimeter. While in theknown devicesroflthis. type, the type roller pressing'directlyon the adhesivetape pro.- duces a. smudgy print, the present-device by the provision of the above mentioned spacer rings produces anaccurate and clear imprint.

A further advantage of the invention relates tothe suspension and support of. the ink roller as. welliasnof the type roller, which makes possible amulti-colored imprinton'thetape and thereby to'achieve byv a. uniform pressure a uniform distribution of the ink.

In accordance with'a further embodimentoftheinvem tion, a device is provided for easily graspingthe new end of the tape after the tape has been torn off, .without wiping oh the freshly appliedink through pulling onthetape.

The novel features which are considered aswcharacteristic for the invention are setforth in particular in-the appended claims.v The inventionzitself; however; both as to its. constructionland itsmethod of. operation,,together withadditional objects andadvantages thereof, will be best understood from the following :description' ofi'specific embodiments when read in connection: with the accompanying-Edrawings, in. which Fig; lis a-view in elevation, partly in section; of a de vice-constructed inaccordance withthe' invention;

Fig. 2- is a view of the. device shownin Fig? 1; taken along the line 2-2;

Fig..3-is-a-plan view, partly in'section, of the inking roller: andv the supportrtherefor;

Eig, v4-is .a fragmentary viewin-elevation-of. the struc: ture:showrrinFig. .3. as.viewed in the. direction.- of .arrow C;

Fig. 5. is-a plan view-ofa portion of the device includ ing the lateral guide means taken on line 5-5 in Fig. 1,

gr d illustrating a support for a tape roll not shown in Fig. 6 is a view of an embodiment of the device showmg from the side the arrangement of the inking and typing rollers and the lateral tape guide;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the inking and type roller arrangement shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view, partly in section, of a modified form of tape holder constructed in accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 9 is a view partly in section of another modified form of a tape holder in accordance with the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown a typeroller 1 which is mounted in a particular manner to provide as fine an adjustment as possible of the pressure of roller 1 on adhesive tape 2. For this purpose, the spindle 3 of type roller 1 is arranged extending through slots 5 arranged in tension plates 4 located on-opposite sides of roller 1, the ends'of spindle 3, and thereby type roller 1, being drawn downwardly by plates 4. Tension plates 4 are mounted slidably on side walls 7 which are provided with slots 6 through which spindle 3 passes. Plates 4 are bent at their upper ends to form gripping projections 8.

Plates 4 are also provided at their lower ends with bent portions 9 which pass through slots 10 in the side walls 7, and which'have attached thereto tension springs 11 suspended therefrom. A horizontal beam 12 is arranged below end portions 9 and connected to the bottom 14 of the device by means of a screw 13 and is made swingable about abolt 15 in a plane passing through bothspiral springs 11, beam 12 being connected to the lower' ends of springs 11, as shown in Fig. 2. In this way there is provided a constantly uniform tension on both ends of s indle 3, so that type roller 1 presses uniformly on the adhesive tape 2.

Type roller 1 has at each end thereof a projecting rim 16 of resilient material, e. g. rubber or synthetic plastic. The tension of springs 11 can be so adjusted by means of screw 13 that resilient rings 16 are sufficiently compressed to bring the type letters 17 of type roller 1 in pressure contact at all places on the strip 2, so that the type imprint is not spread out andso that the image of the imprint is not essentially distorted with respect to the type formation. A roller 18 is provided as a counter support for the resilient spacer rings 16, roller18 having a spindle 19 which is rotatably mounted in fixed bearings 20 in side plates 7 and extend into slots S-of tension plates 4. Roller 18 is at the same time a counter support for tape 2 so that the latter may be imprinted by type 17. By pulling on tape 2, type roller 1 is rotatedunder the action of friction, since the spacer rings 16drive type roller 1.

Instead of providing spacer rings 16 on type roller 1. such resilient spacer rings may, if desired, be arranged on'counter roller 18.

By virtue of the simple supporting arrangement of the type roller 1 as described above, it is easy to discontinue the operation of the ty ing roller in case it is desired not to print on a portion of the tape.

In order to make the transfer of the ink from inking roller 21 to the type roller 1 independent 'of the pressure of type roller 1 on the tape 2, the direction of pressure of ink roller 21 on type roller 1 is made substantially at right angles to the direction of pressure of ty e roller]. on tape 2. Thus, spindle 3 of type roller 1 constitutes an apex relative to which spindle 22 of ink roller '21 and spindle 19 of counter roller 18 are so arranged that the latter two s indles are arranged at least approximately at a right angle to each other. i V i The pressure on ink roller 21'against type roller 1 is also produced by a horizontal beam arrangement, in order to make' the distribution of ink on all parts of ty e roller 1 as uniform; as possible. For this purpose, s indle 22 of ink roller 21 is suspended in a yoke 23, which is preferably provided with hook portions 24 so arranged that spindle 22 can be easily inserted and removed therefrom. Yoke 23 is fastened to an arm 25 which extends at both ends through slots 26 and side plates 7 so as to be guided thereby. Arm 25 is formed with a downwardly extending flange 27 in which holes 28 are formed. The bent ends 29 of a bracket 30 pass through holes 28, and tension springs 31 are connected at one end to bent ends 29 and at their other ends directly or indirectly to side plates 7. An adjusting screw 32 is provided in the central portion of bracket 30 and extends into contact with arm 25, so that the desired adjustment of the spacing between bracket'30 and flange 27 may be obtained. By the adjustment of the adjusting screw 32, springs 31 are thereby tightened to a greater or lesser degree so as to provide for regulation of the pressure of ink roller 21 on type roller 1.

it is of advantage to use adjusting screw 32 only for fine adjustment of the pressure, and to obtain the coarse adjustment by means of a crank lever arrangement pivotally mounted about a bolt 33 provided on each side of side plates 7. The crank lever is composed of an arm 34 to which spring 31 is attached, arm 34 for this purpose being provided with a bent portion 35 which passes through a slot 36 in each side plate 7 and to which spring 31 is secured. The other lever arm 37 of the crank lever is provided with a bolt or screw 33 which may be inserted selectively in any of the corresponding holes 39 in side plate 7 so that lever arm 37 and thereby the crank lever arrangement can be set in different desired positions, and in this way springs 31 may be given a desired tension. The adjusting screw 32, in this way, assures a constantly uniform pressure on the entire contact surface between ink roller 21 and type roller 1.

Ink roller 21 is provided with a resilient ring such as a felt ring serving as an ink carrier which, if desired, may be continuously soaked with ink material flowing from an ink reservoir arranged in the interior of the ring. A two-color or multi color impression can be produced if a plurality of ink rings are arranged adjacent to one another. in Fig. 3 there are shown two different ink rings which are arranged spaced from each other by a spacer disc 4d. Spacer disc 40, as well as end discs 41, project slightly beyond the ink rings, so that the full pressure produced by springs 31 is not exerted on type 17 of printing roller 1. By means of the rims of discs 46 and 41 which roll on the background portion of type roller 1 lying between type 17, a portion of the pressure exerted by springs 31 is taken up, and there is produced with a definite contactvforce only that amount of pressure on the type which is necessary for transfer thereto of the ink matcrialf 'In order to make the device suitable for use with bands of dififcring widths so as to provide for reliable and correct guiding of the bands therethrough, so that even bands of narrow width may be guided in a straight line, an arrangement is provided by means of which the still unprinted taperuns between two adjustable guide plates. For this purpose, there is provided in front of and behind printing roller 1, guide plates 42 and 43 mounted on side plates 7. To provide for a simple mounting of these guide. plates, they may be arranged only with projections 44 and -45 passing through side plates 7 which are mounted on bottom 14 of the apparatus. Two slides 46 and 47 are arranged symmetricaliy slidabie on guide plates 42 and 43, and aspindle 48 having right andleft hand threads is arranged threadably engaging slides 46 and 47 with its right and left hand threads, respectively, for moving slides 46 and 47. Spindie 43 has a bearing portion 49 which rests in a bearing block 5-9 connected to guide plate 43. Spindle member 48 extends at one end through an aperture 51 formed in side plate 7, and thereby at its end 52 may be turned for adjusting the distance of slides 46 and 47 relative to each; other. i 3 It will be noted from Fig. 1 that slides 46 and 47 are 'inaterial.

between slides" 46' and 47 in" accordance with the width of thetap'e; The uniform position of the pr'i'ntin'gion thetap'e' is thereby assure-city the correct" lateral guidin of the tape, especially since tne' slides" 46" and 47 are arrange-din the immediate Vicinity of the printing position. In the places where the tape entersand leave'sth'e slides in front of and'behin'd type r'o'lle'r'l; the upper guide portions of the'sl'ide's ca'nbesornewh'a't bent up- Wardly,. in order to facilitatetlie entrance and exit of the'band inintroducing: a newtape;

On the rear side 'of'slides '46 and 47, thereaieattache d tail plates 54'having spacing rollers 53, and'between tail platessa theunprinted adhesiveroll 55 lies ffeel'y'iiia trough like depressionand'in'this waythe'adhesive roll may be unwound freely'from' it's lowens'i'de'5 6. In this way, the commercialtype-of" adhesive roll whicnjhas an adhesive coating on" its outer side will lie with its adhesive side against prin'tingirol'ler' If necessary, it is, of course, possi'b l'e'to' use this printing' apparatusalso for printing on'the outer; surfaces or the adhesive" roll simply by turningitlieroll around so theu'nwindin'g point 56 is on top: While, accordingly, the present invention permits printing of" both sides of theroll, the known device'scan-be used only for printing on oneside o'f the'roll, and; in fact, only on the side which in commercial rolls is coated with adhesive 'Adhesive rolls are known which, since theyare' not printed immediately before use, are'conducted'over rollas "which are immersed inwater in ortlerto moisten the adhesive'niaterlal thereon; In accordance Withthe irivention, the'abov'e' described printing apparatus, asshown in Pig, 1; is" arranged hetween the dispensingiroll 55 and 'the moistening-roll 57 of known type, andafter'passii'ig over the moistening roll 57, the tape 5 8' can be torn off b'y means of the cutting blade 59 which-is fastened to side plates 7. V v v In thecase wher'ea strip-of tap'ewhich' is not printed on immediately before tearing off is grasped between the-fingers ino'rder to pullit" beneath the" cutting blade for'te'aring off the'tape, nodisadvantages would result. Howevensuch an operation i's objectionable" where the tape'has just been printed, since the freshly appliedprint- "ing iinp'res'sionwould' be wiped off b'y'such' grasping of the tape" between thefingers. In a particular embodiment of the-invention, accordingly, there isprovided a feed device which'moves theadhesive tape forwardly a few centimetersatter'tearing on of the ta e, without subjectin; printed side to a pull friction.

'On hoth of side" plates 7, e. g., on their inn-er sides, there is mounteda sw'in'gable lever 61 pivotable' about a.-b'o lt 6'0,*1ever 61 being urged by means of spring 62 in the" direction toward the dispensing spool 55'. Be-

also is covered with a rubber tube 69 or the like. Both ends' of bar 68- project beyond both sides of levers 61 into slots 7 0 for1ned therein, and in'which these ends -are mo'vable' when'devers 61' are turned about their axis 65:- Bars 63" and'68are so arranged that'their coverings 6 1 and 69f'come into contact witheach other by turning levers 61' about their 65, while in theirrest positignthey-areur ed a'pa'r't' bysprin'g 71'. The tape strip sslies between 'theicqve'rings 64 and 69, I

when the yoke'67 is new turned downwardly, levers 61' swing about axis 65 until both coverings 64 and 69 graspadhesiv'e' tape58 0n the exertion of further pressure onyjoke6-'I, lever 61 hints about its'axis 60a'nd in 'this'way moves: tape'58" along for some distance, while the taperunrblls from delivery spool 55; until oneof the coverings 64'and 6? abuts against guiderollers 72:01? 73. In this Way tape 58" is given a forward motion which is sutficientto enable the tape tobe grasped conveniently behind the cutting blade. When yoke 67 is again released,

then'spiingsm and '71 move 'it back into'it's' rest position.

In the embodiment heretofore described; only the elevation'of the bandtobe' printed is fixed" relative to the printing" tYP'E'By" means Of resilient rings 16 Which afe arranged on the periphery of the type'rollerl Inaecer'dance Witlf 'the'invention, these resilient rings can be used alsofor thelelevational guiding of the ink roller 21 in that track rings are provided thereon which run on there'silie'nf rings ofty'pe roller" 1. It: is of advantage teprovidethetr'ack rings with'a profile which is coniplen'i'entary atleast'in part to the profile of the resilient rin s 'ofthetyp'eroner 1, so that the type roller resilient ringsan'dihe ink roller track rings have a secure guiding contact with onejanbther. I

Iii ordentofadaptithe sa'rne typerolle'r" for printing on tap'e 'of varying" widths, the resilient rings 16 are made wider; orareshiftedcloser to' themiddle'ofthe roller, the narrower-the tape to be'p'rintedl The track rings of the inkroller' 21" are correspondingly formedas counter rings. 'T1ie"di1neu1ty'may then arise that'the lateral guide lates-between whichthe tape to be printed runs are alreadygincontact with each other at the central portion withont having'th'eir slide portions Which'lie over counter roller ISaTrang'ed'close'enough' to'on'e another to afi ord the properguiding ofa narrow adhesive roll. Therefore, in this form'of the device, the 'slidable guides are arranged under the counter" roller, whereby no further lat eral'hindra'nee thereto is met: Referringnow to Fig. 6, the type roller 1 is shown rotatablymounted in two lateral supports, e, g.,- both sidep'lates7, typeroller l'h'aving two or more resilient rings 16a; The rotatably mounted ink roller 21, carried in a mounting bracket 74 and urged under spring press-u'rein 'thedirection toward type roller 1, is provided with rings 75' which may be resilient ornon-resilient and which areso arranged that they run in contact with resilient rings 16a. In this way, ink'sui'face- 76 of ink roller 21 always has the same spacing from background surface 77 on which the rinting type 17 are mounted. The mechanical pressure which is exerted on thevtype 1'7 is thereforeindep'endentof whether strips-inkedby the ink roller have many, a few or even no printingtype. The mechanical pressure ofthe ink roller 21 is uniformly great on all'of the type'le'tters, whereby the letters always undergo the same amount of deformation. A further result istha't there is uniformity of imprint on the tape to be printed in a manner which has heretofore not been possible.

When the tape to be printed is-rather narrow; the resilient rings'16' or 16a can be made broader or moved further'toward the middle of the roller, or there may be provided within the outer pair of rings a second pair of inn'erring's, or even only a singlering, in order to provide the str'ipto' be printed with two rings between which it has secure lateral guiding. Resilient rings-16- 16amay be made integral with the type roller 1 or with-the-printing matrix.

Inthe case where the band to be printedis very narrow the lateral'guiding .of the band before and after the printing position may present diflieulties,-since the guide slides 46 and-47 cannot be brought sufliciently'close together above the counter roller 18; The guide' pla'tes therefore are replaced on both sides by guide brackets 78, which are laterally sbiftable on tw'o'rods 79 and 80- which lie in front'of and-'behindthe' printing'position 81, at which pressure on the tape to be printed is exerted by, the pressure of counter roller v18 against type roller 1. Guide brackets 78 extend beneath the counter roller 18 between both of these rods 79 and 80. The tape 2 which is to be printed runs along the inner sides 82 and 83 of brackets 78 which extend over rods 79 and-80, and thereby there is afforded a proper lateral guiding of the tape 2. 1 By means of the screw 84 which is provided with right and left hand threads, in the manner as described above with respect to the sliding guide arrangement shown in Fig. 5, both sides of the guide brackets 78 can be brought close enough together for guidingbands of the narrowest width, and even until they contact one another.

A further feature of the, inventionresides in the structure of the support means ofthe tape supply roller on which the tape to be printedv is mounted. When the band is unwound rapidly, a length of the band may be unrolled which is longer than necessary, so as to form a slack portion which may come into contact with the ink roller and thereby become smeared by the ink.v The supporting means of the delivery roll is therefore advantageously equipped with a b'rakedevice.

In order, therefore, to provide for the tape 2 to be maintained taut to avoid the possibility of the imprint thereon being smudged or to avoid contact of the tape with the ink roller, a supporting arrangement for the delivery roll 155 which supports the tape roll, may be equipped with a braking device, such as shown in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9. It will be understood that the supporting arrangement shown in Figs. 8 and 9 may be arranged on the left of Fig. l and supported in extensions of side walls 7 with the axis ofroll 155 parallel to spindle 3. Thereby, the trough support of the tape roll 55, as shown in Fig. 5,

would be replaced. Such a breaking device may consist,

for example, of a pressure spring 79 on each side of the roller 155, each spring 79 engaging at one side a conical member 81 projecting into the central opening 55' of the roller 155, and engaging at its other side abearing 82, which isfreely turnable and axially movable on the spindle 83. Bearing 82 lies pressed against a resilient intermediate bearing 84 that is also freely movable on spindle 83 and thrusts against wall 185 or a bearing member. 186, in which spindle 83 is rotatable. By virtue of the resulting pressure on both sides thereof by both conical members 81, the supply roller 155 is centered and its turning movement is so retarded by the friction of bearing 82 against the intermediate bearing 84 that it turns only during the time that the pull is exerted on the tape 2 which is to be printed.

Whereas in the supporting arrangement of the. supply roller as shown in Fig. 8 a continuous spindle 83 is provided, the arrangement shown in Fig. 9 for. supporting the supply roller is equipped with a separable supporting arrangement. As shown in Fig. 9, one portion 85 of the spindle is arranged slidable with respect to the other tubular spindle portion 86, and a weak spring 87 is arranged between the two parts to urge them apart. Both spindle portions 85.and 86 are attached respectively to step bearings 88 and 89, the bottoms oflwhich are each provided with indented portions 90 and 91, which lie over and grasp the fixedbearing bolts 92 and 93. Bearing sleeves 94 and 95 are fastened in the step bearings 88 and 89 into or over which the sleeve members 96 and 97 slide, the lattersleeve members having fastened to.

their inner ends conical members 98 and 99. Within sleeves 94, 95, 96 and 97 there are arranged pressure springs 100 and 191, by means of which conical members 98 and 99 are pressed toward each other toward the middle, where their movement is limited by means of stop members fastened to the spindle portions 85 and 8-6, the stop members comprising, for example, small spring rings 102 and 103. i

In order to mount the tape roll, the depressed portions 90 and 91 are lifted out of bearing bolts 92 and 93 and both spindle portions85 and 86 are separated from each whereby the springs 100 and 101 assure a reliable mounting of the parts.

The springs simultaneously hold the tape roll firmly between conical members 98 and 99 and also produce a strong friction between the bearing bolts 92 and 93 on the one hand, and the depressed portions and 91 on the other hand, to thereby effect a braking action for retarding the turning of the tape roll. The wider and the heavier the tape roll is, the more are the springs and 101 pressed together and thereby the stronger is the braking effect, so that the available braking force is automatically adjusted to the amount necessary. The supporting structure for the supply roll may be mounted in the housing of the apparatus or in the cover thereof.

It will be understood that each of the elements de scribed above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of tape dispensing and printing devices differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in adhesive tape printing device, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the. gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

' l. A combined apparatus of the type described comprising, in combination, supply means for delivering strip material; supporting means having spaced upright wall members formed with opposite slots therein; rotatable printing means including printing members and associated with said supply means and adapted for printing on the strip material received from said supply means, said rotatable printing means having an axially extending spindle slidably mounted at opposite ends in said slots of said wall members; counter support means adjacent said rotatable printing means for supporting the strip material during printing; resilient ring means on one of said rotatable printing means and said counter support means extending around the periphery thereof and hav ing a radial thickness substantially equal to the radial thickness of said printing members on said printing means; a pair of tension means each connected at one end to opposite ends of said spindle; a pair of spring means respectively connected to the other ends of said tension means for urging said rotatable printing means against the strip of material to be printed and against said counter support means supporting the same; and transverse beam means connected to the other ends of said spring means and being pivotally mounted in said supporting means.

2'. A combined apparatus of the type described comprising, in combination, supply means for delivering strip material; supporting means having spaced upright wall members formed with opposite slots therein; rotatable printing means including printing members and associated with saidsupply means and adapted for printing on the strip material received from said supply means, said rotatable printing means having an axially extending spindle slidably mounted at opposite ends in said slots of said wall members; detaching means associated with said printing means for detaching portions of printed strip material;

' a 9 counter. support means adjacent said rotatableprinting nieans'rfor supporting the strip material duringv printing; resilient ring" means on one of said rotatable printing means and said counter support means extending around theperiphery thereof and havinga radial thickness substantially' equalto the radial thickness of said printing members on said printing means; a pair of tension means each connected at one end to opposite ends of said spindle; a pair of spring means respectively connected to the other ends of said tension means for urging said to- 'tatable printing means against the strip of material to be printed and against said counter support means supporting the same; transverse beam means connected to the other ends of said spring means and being pivotally mounted in said supporting means; screw means adjustably connecting said beam means to said supporting means and turnable for adjusting the pressure exerted by said pair of tension means on said rotatable printing means; and guiding means associated with said rotatable printing means for guiding the strip material during printing against lateral displacement, whereby at least during detaching of portions of said printed strip material by said detaching means, the strip material to be printed is supported by said counter support and guiding means so as to be held against transverse displacement relative to said printing means.

3. A combined apparatus of the type described comprising, in combination, supply means for delivering strip material; supporting means having spaced upright wall members; rotatable printing means including printing members and associated with said supply means and adapted for printing on strip material received from said supply means; detaching means associated with said printing means for detaching portions of printed strip material; counter support means adjacent said rotatable printing means for supporting the strip material during printing; resilient ring means on said rotatable printing means extending around the periphery thereof and having a radial thickness substantially equal to the radial thickness of said printing members on said printing means; yoke means mounted on said upright wall members of said supporting means for movement towards and away from said rotatable printing means and having free end portions arranged adjacent said rotatable printing means; a bracket member mounted on said yoke means for movement relative thereto; adjusting screw means adjustably spacing said bracket member from said yoke means, threadably engaging said bracket member centrally thereof and engaging at its end said yokemeans centrally thereof; resilient means connected to said bracket member and said upright wall members constantly urging said bracket member and thereby said yoke means toward said rotatable printing means; and ink roller means having axial spindle portions projecting at opposite ends thereof and mounted with said spindle portions in said free end portions of said yoke means, and arranged adjacent said rotatable printing means pressing against the same in a direction approximately at right angles to the direction of pressure of said rotatable printing means against said counter support means, said ink roller means being constantly urged with said yoke means against said resilient ring means.

4. A combined apparatus of the type described comprising, in combination, supply means for delivering strip material; supporting means having spaced upright wall members; rotatable printing means including printing members and associated with said supply means and adapted for printing on strip material received from said supply means; detaching means associated with said printing means for detaching portions of printed strip material; counter support means adjacent said rotatable printing means for supporting the strip material during printing; resilient ring means on said rotatable printing means extending around the periphery thereof and having a radial thickness substantially equal to the radial thickness of, said, printing members on said, printing. means; yoke niefifldrfiotififiddfi said u right Wall members 0f said supporting means for movement towards and away from saidlr'jotatable printing meansandlhaving freeend portions arranged adjacent said rotatable printing means; a bracket member mounted" on said" yoke means for movement relative thereto; adjusting screw means adjustably spacing said bracket member from said yoke means, threadably engaging said bracket member centrally thereof and engaging at its end said yoke means centrally thereof; resilient means connected at one end to said bracket member constantly urging said bracket member and thereby said yokemeans toward said rotatable printing means; lever means swingably mounted on said upright Wall members of said supporting means, said lever means being composed of angularly arranged arms one of which is connected to the other end of said resilient means and the other being securable at difierent angular positions to said upright wall members for adjusting the pressure exerted by said resilient means on said yoke means in the direction toward said rotatable printing means; and ink roller means having axial spindle portions projecting at opposite ends thereof and mounted with said spindle portions in said free end portions of said yoke means, and arranged adjacent said rotatable printing means pressing against the same in a direction approximately at right angles to the direction of pressure of said rotatable printing means against said counter support means, said ink roller means being constantly urged with said yoke means against said resilient ring means.

5. An apparatus of the type described comprising, in combination, supply means for delivering strip material; supporting means having upright wall members formed with opposite slots therein; rotatable printing means including printing members and associated with said supply means and adapted for printing on the strip material received from said supply means, said rotatable printing means having an axially extending spindle slidably mounted at opposite ends in said slots of said wall members; counter support means adjacent said rotatable printing means for supporting the strip material during printing; resilient ring means on said rotatable printing means and said counter support means extending around the periphery thereof and having a radial thickness substantially equal to the radial thickness of said printing members; a pair of tension means, each connected at one end to opposite ends of said spindle for urging said rotatable printing means against the strip of material and against said counter support means supporting the same; transverse beam means connected to the other ends of said tension means and being pivotally mounted in said support means; lateral guide means associated with said rotatable printing means for guiding the strip of material during printing against transverse displacement relative to said printing means; and moving means for moving the strip material through said guiding means, said moving means comprising lever means swingably mounted on said upright wall members resiliently urged in the direction toward said supply means, yoke means pivotally mounted on said lever means, and friction members mounted on each of said lever means and said yoke means, said friction members being adapted during relative movement of said lever means and said yoke means toward each other to grip said strip of material and upon continuous movement of said yoke means and lever means to move said strip of material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 287,383 Kendall Oct. 23, 1883 407,631 Barradall July 23, 1889 410,594 Kennedy Sept. 10, 1889 654,268 Millison July 24, 1900 (Other references on following page) 11 v V Palmer Oct. 20, 1903 Finch Oct.t11, 1904 Grant Nov. 13, 1906 Springsteen May 9, 1911 Seiders Mar. 16, 1926 Levane Oct. 22, 1935 12 V Presby July 12, 1938 Coates Aug. 12, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain July 7, 1939 Austria Sept.'5, 1939 

